The warmer weather promises a summer’s worth of cups, cones, and shakes all throughout the Hudson Valley. The Rolling Cones kicks ice cream season into high gear in Kingston, where the mobile sweet shop parks its retro-style trailer from May through October. It’s there where you’ll find the rock-and-roll-inspired ice cream shop to order delicious treats ranging from classic chocolate and vanilla soft serve to over-the-top sundaes.
A Sweet Start
For owners Nikki Freihofer and Alex Lauri, opening an ice cream business has been something of a lifelong fever dream. On a trip to the Hudson Valley from San Francisco in the summer of 2023, the couple fell in love with the landscape and energy of the region and decided then and there to make the permanent move to Kingston and start The Rolling Cones along with it.
As a restaurant consultant and food and beverage strategist, Freihofer has worked with brands big and small across California and around the world. Along with her background, Lauri is a graphic and product designer with an eye for branding, so the transition to entrepreneurs in the restaurant space was a natural pivot for the two.
“My family used to joke about opening a nostalgic, rock-and-roll-inspired ice cream shop called The Rolling Cones — a name that stuck with me,” says Freihofer. “Ironically, Alex had also dreamed of starting an ice cream business with his family in Michigan. When we put our heads (and skill sets) together, the concept clicked immediately.”
Behind the Branding
Everything about the Kingston ice cream stop – from its name to its aesthetic – pays homage to a retro past. A nod to both classic rock and the region’s nearby musical roots in Woodstock, The Rolling Cones proved time and time again to be the perfect name for the business. To go along with it, the shop needed the timeless look of a retro-style Airstream. While the real deal was too pricey a project to undertake, Freihofer and Lauri decided to custom-build a new silver trailer in the same style, rightfully naming her Joplin.
Cones, Cups, and More
The brand’s local ties stretch beyond its connection to the region’s musical past. The Rolling Cones crafts all its ice cream with top-quality ingredients from the Hudson Valley, including all-natural dairy from Ronnybrook Farms, chocolate from Fruition, coffee from Village Coffee, caramel from The Ardent Homesteader, and small-batch goodies from local makers like Rosie General and others.
The Kingston-based shop keeps it classic with vanilla bean and chocolate soft serve, but goes all out with its lovingly crafted sundaes. Each sweet combination elevates the brand’s original ice cream flavors using homemade Magic Dust – a flavored crumb topping that adds texture and a little something special.
With six core sundaes on the menu all season, including Strawberry Shorty, Mr. Peanut, Mint Condition, Lady Marmalade, F*ck the Grind, and Cookie Jar, The Rolling Cones also offers rotating weekly specials that highlight seasonal fruits or limited-edition ingredients. Customers can visit during select months to try specials like Peach Fuzz, made with fresh peach compote and a buttery cornflake crunch; Cherry Bomb, which combines New York sour cherries with a dark chocolate magic shell; or Open Sesame, topped with a tahini honey drizzle, sesame cookies, and toasted sesame seeds.
Ice Cream on the Go
While The Rolling Cones is typically stationed at Kingston Standard Brewing Company on Jansen Avenue for service Thursday through Sunday, the mobile ice cream shop is also available to rent for weddings, parties, and other special events. This summer, the trailer expects to be on the go more often, travelling throughout the Valley to stops like Hudson’s Warren Street, Field + Supply, and more.
“The best part of this business is being part of the community. It may sound cheesy, but there’s nothing more rewarding than making people smile with a cold cone on a hot day. As we like to say: no one’s pissed off when they’re eating ice cream,” says Freihofer.
The Rolling Cones is located at 22 Jansen Avenue in Kingston and throughout the Hudson Valley.
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